Chapter 226

The One Entrusted. The One Who Gives Up. (1)
“Damn it, let me out! Let me out of here!”

Takuto slammed his body against the door. But the door was made of Alice Steel. And inside this tower, an anti-magic barrier made it extremely difficult to cast spells. Unless one possessed overwhelming mana like Alicetia and forcibly destroyed it, activating magic here was nearly impossible.

The look on Alicetia's face when Takuto lost consciousness— it was the same expression Iris wore when they parted ways long ago. It was the look of someone resolved never to return. Takuto learned the meaning of that look later.

He had sworn never to lose her again. He had crossed worlds for that very reason— and yet, she was vanishing from in front of him once more. Takuto pounded on the door. Blood splattered, but nothing else happened.

Mai grabbed Takuto’s hand, stopping him.

“Takuto, if you wreck your fists, you won’t be able to go save her.”

“But still…!”

Mai slapped Takuto’s cheek.

“If punching that door could break it down, I wouldn’t stop you. But that’s a door she made. It’s not going to be easy. Look at the useless Kazu here.”

Mai glanced at Kazuto. He wore a set of Draconia restraint cuffs, designed to suppress a target's physical abilities. As a result, he remained slumped on the floor, unable to move.

“S-sorry…”

Kazuto apologized weakly. His words helped Takuto regain some composure.

“For now, we stay calm. Maybe the situation will shift in our favor.”

Hearing Mai’s words, Takuto sat down on the floor and slammed his palm against it— not hard enough to injure himself this time.

“Why won’t she rely on us…”

“That girl doesn’t rely on anyone. She doesn’t even know how to.”

Iris had been a genius. But her abundance of talent left her unable to understand the concept of relying on others. Her own abilities and effort had always been enough to obtain what she desired.

That’s why she warped so easily. Her inability to confide in anyone gradually corroded her. In the end, Iris died because of it.

But Takuto had heard it from the Goddess— that Iris lived on in this world. However, her condition was dangerously unstable. She was a volatile, world-threatening toxin.

Teth placed his hopes on that toxin. Because without using poison, this world would surely collapse. The Goddess no longer possessed the strength to protect it. The demons, being selfish beings, could not act together. The spirits had lost their Spirit King.

This world had lost its guardians. And if the Goddess lost her strength, evil gods from neighboring worlds would invade. To prevent that, the Goddess summoned heroes, and Teth reincarnated that world-destroying toxin.

The Goddess wanted to protect the world. Teth, however, saw things differently. He believed humans should be the ones to resist. After all, this crisis was a consequence of human failures. That’s why Teth sent in a toxin potent enough to either save or destroy the world. It was humanity’s choice.

“The worst-case scenario… If Ai snaps…”

“I can never tell what makes that girl angry.”

Neither Mai nor Kazuto had ever seen Iris truly furious. They had seen her fiddling with her computer with eyes as cold as death, or sulking in a corner. For the record, when she was working with that dead-eyed look, it usually meant she was systematically ruining someone’s life. In some countries, entire fleets of both government and private satellites had been dropped into the Pacific as a result. She was a naturally ruthless child. Carl laughed gleefully whenever he witnessed it.

Time passed as Takuto finally calmed down. But as the days dragged on, their impatience grew. They waited for an opportunity. But no opportunity came, no matter how long they waited.

When their impatience was about to reach its breaking point, commotion erupted outside the door.

“Please wait, Your Majesty. By the princess’s orders, no one is allowed beyond this point.”

“That won’t do. And what if something happens to that child? I’ll take full responsibility— now let me through.”

The argument continued for a while, but eventually, the knight on guard relented and opened the door. He, too, didn’t want to see Alicetia die.

When the door opened, a beautiful woman appeared. It was Sylvia. Her pregnancy had become obvious, but her beauty remained striking.

“Should I say it’s nice to meet you, Hero?”

“… And you are?”

Sylvia chuckled at Takuto’s question.

“I’m that child’s mother. Sorry I took so long to come help. That girl’s been putting so much effort into security here that even I had a hard time convincing them.”

“I see. So, you’ll let us out?”

“Yes. I’ve been briefed on you all. You want to help her, don’t you? Then I’m on your side.

What kind of mother would abandon her daughter?”

Currently, Sylvia couldn’t use magic. Female magicians were heavily affected by their physical condition. With Alicetia, she had still been able to use magic during pregnancy, but this time she could hardly use any. Therefore, Sylvia couldn’t serve as royal regent. A royal who couldn’t fight wasn’t allowed on the battlefield.

As Sylvia was about to continue speaking, the door suddenly burst open again. It was Alicia. She was breathing heavily, likely having rushed over upon hearing that Sylvia was here.

“Your Majesty!”

“Oh dear, I’ve been found.”

“‘I’ve been found’—this isn’t a game! The princess strictly forbade releasing them!”

At Alicia’s words, Sylvia furrowed her brow.

“I figured as much. But do you agree with that?”

“...…”

“You were supposed to go with her too, weren’t you? Are you really okay with this? The fact that she left you behind means she’s prepared not to return.”

She might not come back alive. That’s why Alicia had been left behind.

Alicia understood that. But she was Alicetia’s subordinate. When begged to stay and protect the royal capital and its people, she couldn’t refuse.

Even knowing Alicetia’s true intentions, Alicia couldn’t follow her. She clenched her teeth in frustration. She was supposed to protect Alicetia, even at the cost of her own life.

Instead, it was the master she should protect who was protecting her.

She was utterly ashamed of herself.

“I… I have orders from the princess…”

“You can’t accept this, can you? I understand. You care deeply for that child.

So from here on, this is my selfishness. Take these people to her. Maybe they can help.”

At Sylvia’s words, Alicia shook her head.

“The princess has already departed. The armed airship left, fully loaded. It’s too late. And even they won’t be able to do anything.”

“I don’t know the details of her plan, but…”

“The princess plans to use herself as bait to lure the Imperial army away from the fortress. Once they’re far enough, she’ll drop a magically overcharged mana furnace onto them to inflict devastating damage.”

Takuto and the others immediately stood up at Alicia’s words.

“You didn’t stop her!?”

“How could I? Even if we did nothing, we would’ve won. The Imperial army’s rear has already been cut off— their supplies completely severed. The Granzur Fortress, which also served as a supply hub, has already fallen.

I tried to stop her. The supply-less Imperial army is doomed to collapse. But…”

Alicetia wouldn’t stop.

This was about revenge. About retribution. She would never forgive those who hurt her family.

Besides, even if the supply-less Imperial army obediently retreated, it would be a problem if they scattered across Arland like newborn spiders.

Crippling their supply lines would eventually force them to retreat. But that alone wouldn’t break the Empire’s will. They’d simply believe they were winning until the supplies were cut off. They’d reinforce their supply lines and attack again sooner or later.

Only a decisive victory could shatter the Empire’s will— crush their ambition toward Arland completely. Alicetia firmly believed this.

In fact, after Cynthiana’s death, it took years for the Empire to accept she was truly gone, and during that time, only small skirmishes occurred. They feared Cynthiana that much.

And now, if they came to fear Alicetia, the Empire would halt. They would no longer be able to dominate the continent. Even if Alicetia died, Arland’s technological advancements, her legacy, had already taken root. When the factories currently under construction were completed, there would be a technological gap of several centuries.

And unlike scientific technology, magic technology was extremely difficult to replicate.

Ordinarily, nations would seize or smuggle prototypes, create inferior copies, then refine them until they surpassed the originals. But Alicetia’s magical technology was so advanced that even inferior copies were too expensive to produce. Why? Because in other countries, magic tools were crafted by individual magicians, and the skill levels varied wildly. In contrast, Arland had developed magic infusion technology.

With that, magical infusions were performed by machines. Their magicians could focus solely on developing new spells.

A nation where magicians only develop magic versus a nation where magicians must develop and produce both— the advantage was obvious.

“Yes. That’s why I entrust this to you. Follow me.”

Ignoring Alicia’s protests, Sylvia led Takuto and the others to a hidden chamber beneath the audience hall. There, she would bestow upon him the Spirit Blade.

“If you are worthy, this sword will grant you strength. As the pinnacle of holy weapons, bearing the name of ‘Sanctity’ itself, this blade may give you the power to change fate.”

Sylvia had made up her mind. To save Alicetia, she would entrust Takuto with the kingdom’s most secret treasure.

She understood the consequences— that new enemies would be born.

Originally, the Holy Divine Sword belonged to the Holy Church. If they discovered that Arland possessed it, they would come to seize it without question.

Even so, it was better than losing Alicetia.

Sylvia understood Alicetia’s true value. Alicetia herself did not. But Alicetia was Arland’s irreplaceable treasure.

Alicetia believed that even if she died, the technology she left behind would protect Arland. But the grief of the people left behind would be overwhelming.

They might even lash out at the world in revenge, for she was loved that deeply. Even if the nation fell, even if they lost their lives, even if there was no heir to carry on the royal bloodline, the people would swear vengeance.

The people’s patience had already reached its limit. What had they done to deserve this? Why were they persecuted? Why did they keep losing their loved ones? Hatred toward the central continent boiled within Arland.

For generations, the royal family had protected Arland at great cost, sacrificing their own lives on the battlefield to defend the nation and its people.

“If she dies, we may not be able to stop the people anymore. That’s why I’m begging you… save her.”

When Cynthiana died, the people almost rose in rebellion. But seeing the new, frail king, they held back. If they rose, the weak king would have no choice but to rise too— and that would mean the end of the royal bloodline that had shed so much blood for the kingdom.

The people endured, believing their patience would preserve the royal bloodline. But if they lost Alicetia, they would not endure. Her popularity exceeded even Cynthiana’s.

Takuto gripped the Spirit Blade.

“This is…”

The Spirit Blade easily accepted Takuto as its wielder. The moment he drew it from its sheath, power surged through his body. He could feel the immense strength within the blade.

His iaido sword, brought from Earth and enhanced by the last remnants of the Goddess’s power, was effectively a pseudo-holy sword— a degraded version of a true Holy Sword. And even that possessed considerable power.

But the Spirit Blade surpassed it completely. It had been created through the cooperation of the Goddess and the Spirit King to destroy evil gods. It was also an extremely particular Holy Sword, rarely choosing a wielder. In the end, before a suitable wielder was found, the Spirit King sacrificed himself to repel the evil gods, and the sword lay dormant.

Only a handful in history had been chosen. And now, this world had a new chosen one.

“Enough scheming!”

A familiar voice rang out as Takuto admired the Spirit Blade.

Everyone turned toward the source, but saw nothing.

“Takuto and the others will return to the tower.”

“There’s no one there…”

“No, someone’s there.”

“I’m completely hidden right now! Even Mother couldn’t possibly— waaaaah! How did you find meeeeee!”

Sylvia squatted down and made a lifting gesture toward empty space. Suddenly, a crawling clone of Alicetia appeared.

“I knew you were there.”

“Impossible! My stealth cardboard was perfect… I didn’t even use magic…”

The Alicetias had questioned the concealment ability of the cardboard. But the man with the CalorieMate insisted that with this, hiding was easy.

Thus, they assumed the cardboard’s material was flawed. The result? They developed an optical camouflage coating for the cardboard using advanced technology. Without using magic, it was difficult to detect with magic sensing.

Sylvia grabbed the shoulder of the sulking, floor-pounding Alicetia clone.

“You’ll be cooperating with them too.”

Sylvia smiled sweetly as she peered into the clone’s face. A young man would be enchanted by such a smile. But…

“… Ugh…”

The Alicetia clone looked like she was about to cry.

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